Positive action vibration-proof relay



March 15, 1960 A. J. BAR/cz PosIIIvE ACTION vIBRATIoN-PRooFjRELAY Filed Nov. 19, 1957 /f I I:

/Ajmllll W////////////////llll '//l IN VEN TOR.

ANDREW JoHN BARAcz A ATU/PA/ZK This invention relates to a contactactuating mechanism of a relay so designed as to insure a positive action without contact chatter or vibration.

The main object of the present invention is to pro- `vide a mechanism of the type stated that will be immune to shocks and vibrations.

Among more specific objects of the invention, it is proposed to provide a relay which will eliminate contact bounce, and will achieve higher contact pressures than have heretofore been possible.

Another object is to provide a relay construction such that reduction in the size of the magnetic circuit, owing to a novel modification of the force-distance relation, will be achieved.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the character stated which will be self-locking in both of its opposite extreme positions.

Still another object is to so design the construction that all parts of the mechanism except a pair of pinions will be symmetrical .about threemutually perpendicular axes of the relay, thus to provide for a full balance with respect to shocks and vibrations, which may be imparted to the relay from any direction.Y

A further object is to so design the relay that despite the fact that there will be a small mass imbalance of the pinions, the forces acting upon said pinions will cancel mutually by virtue of the particular mechanical coupling embodied in the construction.

Still another object is to so design the construction that friction between relatively movable parts will be kept to va minimum. Y Y

For further comprehension of the invention, vand of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings,

2,928,285 Patented Mair'.` 15, 19160 ing a center opening receiving pin 10 for rocking of the plate between the opposite extreme positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2.` symmetrically disposed at opposite sides lof the axis of rocking movement in the plate are large, identical but opposite, approximately rectangular i openings 16, the outer edge walls of which are curved about said axis of rocking movement and are formed with rack teeth 18. Thus, there are confronting, arcuate and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of-'the invention `are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the mechanism in one extreme position. l

Fig. 2 is a view like Fig. l'with the mechanism in an opposite extreme position.

` Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. l. f 4 Y Referring, to the drawing in detailit will be understood that the relaywould be mounted in any desired location, and hence the showing is largely diagrammatic, as will be understood, being merely intended to show one typical working arrangement of the invention.

In any event, projecting from any suitable support 12 is a main shaft or fulcrum pin 10, which may be formed elongated, approximately rectangular, at formation havracks or gear sectors 18 at opposite ends of plate 14.

The plate 14 is lixedly secured to the shaft or pin 10 and the shaft in turn is directly coupled to the armature (not shown) of the relay (not shown) so that when the relay is energized plate 14 is rocked to the position shown in Fig. l. When, however, the relay is deenergized, the plate is rocked to the Fig. 2 position by means of a contractile spring 22 having one end secured to an arm 24 extending laterally from one side of the plate adjacent one end 'and having its other end secured to a pin 26 projecting outwardly from support 12.

Designated at 28, 28 are pinions, freely rotatable on pinion shafts 30 that project outwardly from the support 12. .The pinions are disposed within the openings 16 of plate 14, in mesh with the racks 18, and projecting outwardly from each pinion are angularly spaced lugs' 32, 34. The lugs extend into the plane of an elongated, rectangular, relatively narrow gate support member 36 which is Vfreely mounted on shaft 10. The member 36, as will be understood, is coupled to the contactoperating gate, not shown.

Adjacent the opposite extremities of member 36, there are formed therein opposite but identical cut away portions 38. The cut away portions 38 have arcuate, outwardly bowed side edge walls 40, and at ythe outer ends of the cut away portions, said side edge walls 46 merge into arcuate locking notches 42, 42 spaced transversely of each end portion of member 36.

Pins 32, 34 of each pinion extend into a single cut away portion 38, in contact with the respectively opposite ends of the respective opposite side edge walls 40 of the cut away portion 38. In each extreme position offplate 14, one of the pins or lugs 32 is engaged in a locking notch 42, so that the device is self-locking at both extreme positions.

Considering now the operational characteristics of the device, the same will be normally deenergized as in Fig. 2. If, now,the relay is energized, the plate 14 is rocked Abyshaft 1i) to its Fig. l position, against the restraint of spring 24 which normally tends to bias the plate to the Fig. 2 position. The plate 14 rocks in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 from its normal Fig. 2 position, and as a result, since this will cause the wise in Fig. 2, in the direction of the arrows shown inl v l this iigure` of the drawing. Therefore, the pinions will turn on their shafts from the Fig. 2 to the Fig. l positions through approximately in the illustrated embodiment. Lug 32 of the upper pinion 28 normally is engaged in the right-hand locking notch 42, while lug 34 of the lower pinion is engaged in the left-hand locking notch 42 of the other cut away portion 38 of the member 36, as shown in Fig. 2.

When, however, the'pnions rotate on their shafts to their Fig. l positions, lug 34 of the topvpinion 28 will be carried around clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 and will press against the edgewall of the upper cut away portion 38 and rock the gate member 36 counterclockwise to the Fig. 1 position, the other lugs simultaneously riding out of theirrespective notches. The free mounting of the gate member 36 on shaft 10 permits this operation.

rPhe particular movement of the member 36 by cam action is designed to provide a positive action while eliminating completely contact bounce or chatter and other undesirable characteristics of conventional relays. In this connection, the radius on which the lugs or pins 32, 34 of the pinlons 2S are located are fixed, and their angular disposition is related to the desired travel of the moving end of the relay. Further, the lugs engage with the specially shaped cut away portion 38 in theconcentrically rotating member 36, which, of course, carries with it the contact-operating gate. Still further, said lugs and cut away portion form a cam and follower means which is self-locking in both extreme positions. In this connection, it will be noted that all parts of the mechanism except the pinions are symmetrical about the three mutually perpendicular axes of the relay and are thus balanced with respect to shocks and vibrations, which might be imparted to the relay in any direction. Further, as previously noted, the forces of inertia acting on the small pinions cancel out mutually due to mechanical linkage so that the mass unbalance of the pinions -is rendered of no consequence.

The force-displacement characteristic of the relay system is also improved by employing the aforesaid gear and cam mechanism, by the mechanical advantage offered by such system, which reduces the forces required to operate said gate, and allows for practically unlimited contact pressure, that is, a true positive action. The se'f-locking property of the mechanism eliminates, further, the contact bounce or chatter, and the contacts areforced and held f against each other by the pressure of the cams by means of a very short part of the contact blade, which can be designed to be sufficiently rigid to withstand any acceleration which may be encountered.

At the same time, the friction of the entire mechanism is kept to a minimum and the only slidably contacting members of the mechanisms are the pins or lugs of the pinions which slide in the cut away portions of the gatecarrying member. It will be understood that if necessary, said pins or lugs can be provided with rotating bushes, thus eliminating completely any sliding friction in the mechanism.

The mechanism, further, can be also employed in center-stable or bi-stable relays, by suitably biasing the central gear sector plate.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modications may be made within the scope of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A positive action, vibration-proof contact-operating mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising a support, a gear sector plate on said support rocking between opposite extreme positions, pinion means on the support in mesh with and rotated by said plate, means resiliently and yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate, and means carried by the pinion means for rocking said member responsive to rotation of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of the gear sector plate, the ends of the gear sector plate being symmetrically formed.

v2. A positive action, vibration-proof contact-operating mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising a support, a gear sector plate on the support rocking between opposite extreme positions, pinion means on the support in mesh with and rotated by said plate, means resiliently and yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate and means carriedby the pinion means for rocking said member responsive to rotation of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of Vthey gear sector plate, said plate having largev openings at opposite sides of and symmetrically disposed in respect to said pivot axis thereof, said openings havingouter edge walls formed with rack teeth in mesh with thel pinion means.

3. A positive action, vibration-proof contact-operating mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising a support, a gear sector plate on the support rocking between opposite extreme positions, pinion means on the support in mesh with and rotated by said plate, means resiliently and yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate, and means carried by the pinion means for rocking said member responsive to rotation of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of the gear sector plate, said plate having large openings at opposite sides of and syml etrically disposed in respect to said pivot axis thereof, said openings having outer edge walls formed with rack teeth in mesh with the pinion means, the pinion means comprising a'pair of pinions extending into said large openings of the plate.

4. A positive action, vibration-proof contact-operating mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising a support, a gear sector plate on the support rocking between oppositeextreme positions, pinion means on the support in mesh with and rotated by said plate, means resliliently and yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate, and means carried by the pinion means for rocking said member responsive to rotation of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of the gear sector plate, said plate having large openings at opposite sides of and symmetrically disposed in respect to said pivot axis of the plate, said openings having outer edge walls formed with rack teeth in mesh with the pinion means, the pinion means comprising a pair of pinions extending into said large openings of the plate, said resilient, yielding means comprising a spring secured at one end to the plate and having its other end fixed to the support.

5. A positive action, vibration-proof-contact-operating mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising a support, a gear sector plate on the support rocking between opposite extreme positions, pinion means on the support in mesh with and rotated by said plate, means resiliently and yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate Y support member mounted adjacent the plate and means carried by the pinion means for rocking said member responsive to rotation of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of the gear sector plate, said plate having large openings at opposite sides of and symmetrically disposed in respect to said pivot axis of the plate, said openings having outer edge walls formed with rack teeth in mesh with the pinion means, the pinion means comprising a pair of pinions extending into said large openings of the plate, the gate-support member being of elongated, blade-like form.

6. A positive action, vibration-proof contact-operating mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising a support, a gear sector plate on the support rocking between opposite extreme positions, pinion means on the support in mesh with and rotated by said plate, means resiliently and yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate and means carried by the pinion means for rocking said member responsive to rotation of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite 'ends'of the gear sector plate, said plate having large openings at opposite sides of and symmetrically disposed in respect to said pivot axis of the plate, said openings having outer edge Walls formed with rack teeth in mesh with the pinion means, the pinion means comprising a pair of pinions extending into said large openings of the plate, the gate-actuating member being of elonspaanse yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate, andmeans carried by the pinion means-for rocking said member responsive to rotation` of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of the gear sector plate, said plate having large openings at opposlte sides ofand symmetrically disposed in respect to said pivot axis of the plate, said openings having outer edge walls formed with rack teeth in mesh with the pinion means, the pinion means comprising a pair of pinions extending into said large openings of the plate, the gate-support member being of elongated, blade-like form, and having cut awayportions at its opposite ends into which extend the means carried byl the pinion means, said means carried by the pinion means comprising a pair of circumferentially spaced pins on each pinion.

8. A positive action, vibration-proof contact-operating mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising atsupport, a gear sector plate on the support rocking between op posite extreme positions, pinion means on the support in mesh with and rotated by said plate, means resiliently, yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate, and means carried by the pinion means for rocking said member responsive to rotation ofthe pinion means, lsaid gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of the gear sector plate, said plate having larger openings at opposite sides of and symmetrically disposed in respect to said pivot axis of the plate, said openings having outer edges formed with rack teeth in meshwith the pinion means, the pinion means comprising a pair of small pinions extending into said large openings yof the plate, the gate-support member being of elongated,

blade-like form, and having apertures at'its oppositeends into which extend the means carried by the pinion means, said means carried by the pinion means comprising a pair of pins on each pinion, the pins of each pinion being an.

gularly spaced about the axis of rotation of the pinion.

v sector plate rocking between opposite extreme positions, l

9. A positive action, vibration-proof contact-operating l mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising a gear sector plate rocking between opposite extreme positions, pinion means in mesh with and rotatedby saidrplate,

means resiliently, yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate and means carried by the pinion means for rock- .l'; ing said member responsive to rotation of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of the gear sector plate, said plate having large openings at opposite sides of and means comprising a pair of pins on each pinion, the pins of each pinion being angularly spaced about the axis of rotation of the pinion, the apertures of said member havingvarcuately outwardly bowed side edges providing cam surfaces engaged by the pins during rotation of the pinions in respectively opposite directions.

l0. A positive action, vibration-proof contact-operating mechanism for actuation by a relay, comprising a gear pinion means in mesh with and rotated by said plate, means resiliently, yieldably biasing the plate to one extreme position, a gate support member mounted adjacent the plate and means carried by the pinion means for rock-` ing said member responsive to rotation of the pinion means, said gear sector plate having its pivot axis disposed medially between opposite ends of the gear sector plate, said plate having large openings atopposite sides of and symmetrically disposed in respect to said pivot axis of the plate, said openings having outer edges formed with rack teeth in mesh with the pinion means, the pinion means comprising a pair of small pinions extending into said large openings of the plate, the gate-support member being of elongated, blade-like form, and having apertures at its opposite ends into which extends the means carried by the pinion means, said means carried by the pinion means comprising a pair of pins on each pinion, the pins of each pinion being angularly spaced about the axis of rotation ofthe pinion, the apertures of said member having arcuately outwardly bowed side edges providing cam surfaces engaged by the pins during rotation of the pinions in respectively opposite directions, said apertures of the member further having a pair of locking recesses 'communicating therewith at the ends of the arcuate edges, al

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bianco Nov. 3, 1936 McClain a Dec. 16, 1947 

